Michea B | Author | Photographer | Artist | Activist

It’s Time to Stand Up

We need to stop telling poc that THEY need to deal with white supremacists.

We white folk need to step up our fucking game and fight this! White people of all walks benefit from white supremacy, WE need to step up and make an effort to shut it down. Standing by and using our skin tone to “stay safe” only let’s evil continue to grow. By refusing to take part in the fight, we are accomplices in the actions of the and Neo Nazis. By standing back and going, “well I don’t deal with that” we are ignoring those our complacency is harming. When we say that we should “hear them out” we are telling people that their concerns aren’t legit.

Nazis don’t need to be “heard out”, we did that in the 40s and look where that got us!

White supremacy doesn’t need to be “heard out”, we have heard their arguments for over 100 years now.

There’s nothing more to be said.We sit here telling ourselves that racism is over, that WE aren’t responsible for our ancestors actions. Guess what? That stuff is still going on. It’s not our ancestors actions we need to answer for, it’s ours! THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING NOW! The time for sitting on the fence and going, “Let’s hear both sides!” is over. It’s time to start listening to those who for too long have been told they are overreacting or trying to guilt us for what our ancestors did. What our grandparents and parents did.It’s time to realize that our comfort in life exists because of the systematic oppression and racism of those who “aren’t as white”. It’s time for us to actually get off the proverbial fence and actually do something. No more “both sides are bad”, you know it’s bullshit.

One side is wanting equality and freedom, the other wants genocide.

It’s time for us to decide if we wish to stand with the oppressors, or stand with those fighting to be free and equal. It’s time to hold ourselves accountable, to actually study our history, to see what we as a “race” have done. It’s time to realize that slavery still exists in the US, that racism is written into our laws, and that our compliance is what allowed what happened today to happen. The blood of today is on ALL of our hands. We stood by as the supremacists and the like grew we pretended they were harmless. We now know just how far they are willing to go to get their way. When the oppressed fight back, they are not “as bad as” their oppressors. And when we say that, we are helping their oppressors.

We need to stop doing things like comparing the exposing of Nazis and white supremacists to the doxing of LGBTQ people. I kid you not, people comparing outing NAZIS and WHITE SUPREMACISTS who took part in the hate march with outing a LGBTQ person and firing them. I’m sorry, but last I checked, outside of Milo “Racist Grandma” Yowierpeworiew, LGBTQ people weren’t promoting GENOCIDE. I also have yet to see an LGBTQ person drive down a crowded street at full speed and into a crowd of people. But sure, let’s claim that we’re no better than those who get LGBTQ people fired when we out NAZIS for their “words” and “ideas.”

That shit stopped being “words” and “ideas” back in the fucking 40s!

But unlike the rest of the world, we allowed them to lick their wounds and come back to life. We looked the other way as they grew. And now because we are outing them for taking part in terrorist acts, we’re suddenly the bad guys? I’m sorry, but my grandfather didn’t go and fight in WWII for some skinhead to go around promoting the murder and genocide of poc and LGBTQ. So anyone who wants to pull the “we can’t go after them for “words and ideas”” centrist fucking bullshit, just fuck yourself with a cactus. Save us the time of having to deal with your hand wringing while people out there are fucking DYING because of these “words and ideas”. We’re at a fork in the road. There is no “middle ground” on this issue. There is no “Both sides have bad people” argument in this issue. You’re either against Nazis and white supremacists and will fight against them, or you’re an enabler/with them.

If you choose to “not pick a side”, guess what, you’ve sided with the Nazis and white supremacists by your inaction.

You don’t get to sit this one out and pull the “Well I’M not a racist/white supremacist/Nazi!” If you’re not willing to fight the problem, you’re part of the problem on this one. ESPECIALLY if you’re white like me. And seriously…if you compare LGBTQ people to NAZIS…just fucking do the world a favor and become a Luddite out in the middle of nowhere.

“The rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone . Everyone bears responsibility for the prosperity of society.”

The saying by Gu Yanwu has never been more accurate than it has been today. This was true in the 1600s, and it’s true today. Before you tweet something like in response to the horrific events in Charlottesville, remember that we are all responsible for what happens. Our actions, and sometimes even more importantly, our inaction, have an impact on everything around us. We don’t exist in a vacuum. We need to remember that we are all part of this world, and that we all deserve the right to live (even if you deserve a punch in the dick). We need to accept that our actions and inaction have an impact, and we need to accept, learn from, and understand the events of our past. While we cannot undo the past, we CAN learn from it and work towards fixing the problems that brought us to where we are. Remember, “everybody is responsible for the fate of the world”, it’s just up to you as to which side you wish to be on.Will you side with the side of destruction, hate, and oppression? Or will you side with the side working on adapting and learning, love, and progress? There is no, “Meh, I’ll just hang out here in limbo.”

Stand up

Speak out

Fight back

Don’t wait until they come for us.

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Published by Michea B

I am a trans man who hails from southern Oregon. I work as a freelance writer and photographer, as well as work as a volunteer activist. I create whimsical clay creations and make YouTube videos on social issues.
View all posts by Michea B